In the name of Jesus

In SUNDAY’S GOSPEL, Jesus sends out 72 of his followers to go to the towns he would be visiting. He instructed them to cure the sick and teach that ‘the kingdom of God is close at hand.’

When these followers came back to him they were surprised that they had been able to do these things saying ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ This is still true today. When we live and act in a way that honours God’s name, when we are truly Christian (which means Christ-like), God will do through us what we cannot do for ourselves. This doesn’t even depend on how holy or faithful we are – God does it for the sake His name and for the good that will come from using us in this way.

We pray for God’s help in the tasks that we find too hard for us. We ask that we would be Christ-like in our words and deeds so that God might use us for good when we act in the name of Jesus: Our Father…